ICPR Junior College-Arecibo Campus: Be the Professional You Aim to Be!

ICPR (Commercial Institute of Puerto Rico) is an educational institution founded in 1946, in Hato Rey to be more exact. Pedro Negron Echevarria and Dolores Lopez de Coll were the founders of the school and at the time their reason for doing so was to provide an educational option to the private sector; an option that would give people a means to improve professionally and academically.

With this educational opportunity, both adults and adolescents could opt for studies in a short and reasonable time, technical careers or getting their Diplomas from a school of higher instruction.

Back then, programs included bookkeeping, secretarial and office skills organized in quarters and were offered to students ranging from the ninth grade up until post secondary levels. Later on, and because of authorization from the Department of Public Instruction of Puerto Rico, the School kept growing both quality and program wise.

In 1976, Arecibo opened its doors for the school and soon after the institution had to grow in terms of structure: new facilities were built. Later in 1994, facilities underwent full remodeling due to high demand and modern necessities.

ICPR Junior College has been fully accredited by all major entities to ensure a professional and proficient education to all students:

•COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE MIDDLE STATES ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS (accredited by)

• CONSEJO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR DE PUERTO RICO

• CONSEJO GENERAL DE EDUCACIÓN
 (authorized by)

• AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGIATE REGISTRARS AND ADMISSIONS OFFICERS (AACRAO)

• AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES

• AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION (AAHE)

• AMERICAN BUSINESS PERSON'S ASSOCIATION, INC.

• ASOCIACIÓN DE ADMINISTRADORES DE ASISTENCIA ECONÓMICA

• ASOCIACIÓN DE EDUCACIÓN PRIVADA DE PUERTO RICO

• ASOCIACIÓN DE MAESTROS DE PUERTO RICO

• ASOCIACIÓN DE PROFESORES DE EDUCACIÓN COMERCIAL, INC. (APEC)

• ASOCIACIÓN PUERTORRIQUEÑA PARA LA EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR (APUES)

• ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION PROFESSIONALS (ACAP)

• ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT (ASCD)

• CAREER COLLEGE ASSOCIATION (CCA)

• CAREER TRAINING FOUNDATION

• THE COLLEGE BOARD

• COUNCIL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION ACCREDITATION (CHEA)

• EASTERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AUXILIARY SERVICES (EACAS)

• THE EASTERN ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS FINANCIAL AID

• ADMINISTRATORS (EASFAA)

• FUNDACIÓN ICPR JUNIOR COLLEGE

• MIDDLE STATES ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS

• NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AUXILIARY SERVICES (NACAS)

• NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EXECUTIVES
SECRETARIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (NAESAA)

• NATIONAL BUSINESS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (NBEA)

• NATIONAL CENTER FOR NONPROFIT BOARDS

• NATIONAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE HISPANIC COUNCIL (NCCHC)

• PUERTO RICO HOTEL AND TOURISM ASSOCIATION (PRHTA)

• PUERTO RICO TESOL

• THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS FINANCIAL AID

ADMINISTRATORS (NASFAA)

• THE NATIONAL STUDENT EMPLOYMENT ASSOCIATION (NSEA)
(affiliated to)

ICPR College-Arecibo offers options for Associate Degrees and Certificate programs. The Associate Degrees include 2 major areas, Business Administration and Office Skills.

· Business Administration is divided into:
Accounting, Management and Marketing, Hotel Management, Tourism, Business Administration with an emphasis in Software Technologies

· Office Skills is separated into:
Administrative Assistant, Administrative Clerk, Bilingual Assistant, Medical Billing

Certificate Programs:

1) Medical Service Billing
2) Tourism
3) Word Processing Assistant
4) Data Entry
5) Hotel Management Assistant
6) Technician in Maintenance and Repair of Computers
7) Security & Private Detective
8) Website Developer with Digital Graphical Design
9) Day Care Administrative Assistant

ICPR Junior College’s admission process is based on the philosophy that every single student that wants to be part of the school should be admitted so he/she can resolutely transform academic and personal goals into professional results.

First step in the process is to be a graduate from an accredited superior school or its equivalent from an authorized state agency. Next step is to fill out and turn in to the Admission Office, the admission request. This request must comply with the $25 tuition fee, $3.00 ID fee, and Certificate for inoculations extended by the Minister of Health, for students under 21 years. The third step in this process is to request transfer of the official student file from previous schools or institutions to be sent directly to ICPR Junior College.

Students that come from other schools, besides complying with the aforementioned requisites, must hand in an official university transcript as well as the financial aid transcript; this in order to validate the credits according to ICPR’s policy.
For foreigners who want to apply to ICPR Junior College, they should conform to all the previous admission requisites. Also, they should fill out the I-20 form, which is handed out at the Admissions Office and pay in advance for every quarter of studies.

Financial aid is possible at ICPR for those students who need economic support. These programs, federal, estate, institutional and private, are all part of the effort of assisting education through scholarships, loans, and job opportunities (Work/Study).

ICPR Junior College-Arecibo has been educating, helping and guiding students for many, many years now. In an area of 19,000 square feet with 2 buildings that include: 14 classrooms, 4 computer labs, Information Access Centre, Dean’s Office, Admissions Office, Financial Aid Assistance, Registration, Faculty and General Services; students feel free, to ask for help, study, work, and make use of the sports facilities and the parking area. All this is done in a capacity of 4,000 square feet and with no less than the Atlantic Ocean at their feet! Quite inspirational!